Moldova, Russia agree gas price reduction - president

CHISINAU, September 7. /TASS/. Moldovan President Igor Dodon has reached an agreement with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to cut the gas price for his country, Dodon wrote on Facebook on Saturday after his meeting with Putin in Moscow.

"We have agreed in principle and coordinated the further steps in gas cooperation, which makes it possible at this stage to announce that tariffs for end consumers will not rise. As early as October 1, the price of Russian gas for Moldova will go down," Dodon wrote.

Moldova’s contract with Russian gas utility Gazprom expires in 2019. Earlier, the Moldovan president told TASS earlier he wanted to negotiate a discount on Russian gas. The previous government, in his words, lowballed gas tariffs and "left an ‘energy bomb’ that may send gas prices [for the population] hiking." Apart from that, Moldova is worried over possible halt of gas supplies via Ukraine.